58: Chapter 58: If you're so capable, let Emperor Xueye go to the Hall of Offerings and demand an explanation from the Grand Elder.

Just as both sides were at each other's throats, a warm and peaceful voice suddenly drifted in from outside the crowd, like a stream of clear spring water pouring into a boiling pot of oil, instantly suppressing the surrounding clamor: "What has happened here? Such a commotion has quite spoiled the mood of the night market."

Everyone looked toward the source of the voice and saw the crowd automatically parting to form a path. Two figures walked over slowly.

The one leading was a middle-aged man dressed in a moon-white long robe. His face was handsome, with a gentle smile playing between his brows. He was fiddling with a string of freshly bought candied haws in his hand. It was none other than the Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, Ning Fengzhi.

Beside him was a little girl who looked as if she were carved from pink jade. Her hair was styled in twin buns, and her large eyes darted around curiously as she observed the scene. It was his daughter, Ning Rongrong.

Why would Ning Fengzhi be here?

Prince Xue Xing and Xue Beng were both stunned, their expressions instantly becoming somewhat complicated.

Although the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School was one of the Upper Three Sects, its relationship with the Heaven Dou Empire was extremely close. Thus, even Emperor Xue Ye would have to give great weight to Ning Fengzhi's reputation, let alone them.

More importantly, they were currently playing the role of "hedonistic scoundrels." Being caught by Ning Fengzhi made them feel somewhat uneasy.

"School Master Ning?"

Prince Xue Xing quickly suppressed the anger on his face, forced a smile, and went forward to greet him, asking, "What a coincidence, are you also here to visit the night market?"

Ning Fengzhi nodded with a smile. His gaze swept over the corpses on the ground and the Spirit Masters with their blades drawn. A flash of surprise crossed his eyes, but he didn't ask directly. He only said, "I brought Rongrong out for some fresh air; I didn't expect it to be so lively here."

As he spoke, his gaze inadvertently fell upon Lu Jing's trio. Especially when he saw Wang Donger, a hint of amazement flashed in his eyes—such beauty was indeed rare.

Prince Xue Xing didn't dare let him inquire further and quickly laughed it off. "Actually, it's nothing major, just Little Beng..."

He patted Xue Beng's shoulder and explained with a deliberately casual tone, "He took a fancy to this young lady and wanted to invite her back to the palace to be an imperial consort. Young people are a bit impulsive in their actions, which led to a small misunderstanding."

When he said this, he specifically emphasized the words "imperial consort" and deliberately acted as if it were just "a child being immature." He wanted Ning Fengzhi to know that this was merely a prince's romantic escapade and there was no need to take it seriously.

After all, the purpose of their trip was to make everyone believe that Xue Beng was a profligate obsessed with beauty and posed no threat to the position of Crown Prince. Only then could they survive under Xue Qinghe's watchful eyes. If Ning Fengzhi took this as leverage in a power struggle, their previous performance would have been in vain.

After all, the current Ning Fengzhi was the teacher of Crown Prince Xue Qinghe.

How shrewd was Ning Fengzhi? How could he not hear the hidden meaning in those words?

He followed Prince Xue Xing's gaze to Wang Donger. When he saw that exceptionally clear and beautiful face, he understood instantly—no wonder Xue Beng had lost his composure; such beauty was indeed enough to make an ordinary man lose his soul.

He smiled and didn't respond.

He had always been reluctant to get involved in the sordid affairs of the imperial family.

In his eyes, Prince Xue Xing and Xue Beng were little more than useless trash. Even with Emperor Xue Ye, they were merely using each other.

So, there was no need to offend a Prince and a Fourth Prince for the sake of a few strangers.

"I see."

Ning Fengzhi responded faintly, then turned to Ning Rongrong and said, "Rongrong, let's go. It seems they are selling sugar paintings up ahead. Shall we go take a look?"

Ning Rongrong was watching with great interest. Hearing this, she pouted but still nodded obediently. "Oh."

Just as Ning Fengzhi was about to leave with his daughter, no one expected Lu Jing, who had been silent all along, to suddenly laugh. His voice wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly: "Prince? Imperial Prince?"

He gave a light scoff, his gaze sweeping over Prince Xue Xing and Xue Beng with undisguised mockery. "Do you really think being a prince or an imperial prince means you can control everyone?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire scene fell silent once again.

Prince Xue Xing and Xue Beng were both stunned, clearly not expecting this person to still dare to be so stubborn.

They instinctively looked at Ning Fengzhi, wanting to see something from his face—could this person have some background that even the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School had to respect?

Ning Fengzhi also stopped in his tracks, raising an eyebrow as a hint of amusement flashed in his eyes.

He had felt earlier that this young man was not simple. Facing the imperial guards and Spirit Masters without changing expression and striking ruthlessly, it seemed now that he indeed had something to fall back on.

Seeing Ning Fengzhi shake his head to indicate he didn't know Lu Jing, Prince Xue Xing immediately breathed a sigh of relief. Then, his anger surged again: "Presumptuous! What kind of thing are you to dare question this Prince?"

Xue Beng straightened his back even more, his face full of arrogance. "Kid, I advise you to be sensible! This is Heaven Dou City, the territory of my imperial family! Let alone you, even if a Titled Douluo came, they would have to give our imperial family some face! If you're a dragon, you'd better coil up; if you're a tiger, you'd better lie low!"

"Oh?"

Lu Jing raised an eyebrow as if he had heard a joke and asked, "You mean, as long as it's someone you can't afford to offend, you'll back down?"

Xue Beng was momentarily choked for words, then stiffened his neck and said, "Someone I can't afford to offend? In this Heaven Dou City, there aren't many I can't afford to offend! If you really have some incredible background, I'll kneel down right now and kowtow to beg for mercy!"

He was certain that Lu Jing was just bluffing. After all, someone with a real background wouldn't be fighting in the streets like this.

Lu Jing smiled and wasted no more words.

He brushed his hand over his waist, and a palm-sized gold token flew out from his storage spirit tool, whistling through the air toward Prince Xue Xing.

"See for yourself."

Prince Xue Xing instinctively reached out to catch it; it felt cold and heavy in his hand. The front of the gold token was engraved with intricate patterns, with a massive divine sword in the center. The back featured a lifelike relief of an angel, emitting a faint sacred aura.

He turned it over and over several times, his brow furrowing deeper and deeper—this token looked grand, but he had never seen it before and had no idea what its origin was.

"What kind of thing is this?"

Prince Xue Xing scoffed, his tone full of mockery. "Could it be some fake made by a back-alley workshop to try and scare this Prince?"

The smile on Lu Jing's face faded, and he sighed softly, his disappointment undisguised. "Truly blind. Are these the Prince and Fourth Prince of your Heaven Dou Empire? Not even recognizing a consecration token—trash really is trash."

"consecration token?"

When Ning Fengzhi heard those two words, his expression suddenly changed. He stepped forward quickly and said, "Prince, may I have a look?"

Although Prince Xue Xing was reluctant, seeing Ning Fengzhi's solemn expression, a trace of unease rose in his heart. After hesitating for a moment, he handed the gold token over.

Ning Fengzhi took the gold token. As soon as his fingertips touched the cold metal, his pupils suddenly shrank. He carefully examined the divine sword on the front and the angel relief on the back, his breathing gradually becoming rapid.

"This... this really is a consecration token!"

Ning Fengzhi looked up abruptly, his gaze toward Lu Jing filled with shock and disbelief. He cried out, "You... you come from the Elder Hall?!"

The Elder Hall!

These words rang out like a thunderclap among the crowd. The faces of many who knew the inside story instantly turned pale, and they instinctively took a few steps back.

Who didn't know that the Elder Hall was the true core of Spirit Hall, the most mysterious and powerful place in the entire Douluo Continent!

Seated there were the seven Great Priests of Spirit Hall, each one a peak Douluo above level ninety-five. Especially the High Priest, Qian Daoliu, who was a level ninety-nine Limit Douluo and hailed as the strongest person on the continent!

Let alone a Titled Douluo, even Supreme Pontiff Bibi Dong had to be subservient before the Elder Hall.

The orders of the Elder Hall were such that even the Supreme Pontiff had no right to change them; it was an authority that stood above all else!

Prince Xue Xing and Xue Beng were startled by Ning Fengzhi's reaction, the mockery on their faces freezing.

"School Master... School Master Ning, what exactly is this consecration token?" Xue Beng asked stutteringly, an ominous premonition rising in his heart.

Ning Fengzhi took a deep breath, trying to calm his shocked heart, and explained, "The consecration token is the highest-ranking token of Spirit Hall, even a hundred times more noble than the Supreme Pontiff's token! The holder is as if the High Priest himself is present. Even the Supreme Pontiff has no right to interfere with any of their decisions!"

He paused, looking at their pale faces, and added, "Simply put, the person holding this token can kill whoever they want within the territory of Spirit Hall. Even if it's the Emperor of an Empire, as long as the Elder Hall nods, no one can protect them!"

Was it a joke? If a level ninety-nine super Douluo personally took action, who could possibly stop them?

Boom!

Prince Xue Xing and Xue Beng felt as if their minds had gone blank, as if they had been struck hard by a heavy hammer.

More noble than the Supreme Pontiff's token? As if the High Priest himself were present?

They had just... actually wanted someone from the Elder Hall to kneel down and kowtow? They even said they wanted the other party to coil up and lie low in Heaven Dou City?

Cold sweat instantly soaked their clothes. Their previous arrogance vanished without a trace, replaced only by a fear that seeped into their very marrow.

Lu Jing looked at their pale faces, the corner of his mouth curling into a cold arc. "Now, do you still have the courage to make me coil up and lie low?"

Prince Xue Xing's lips trembled. He wanted to beg for mercy but couldn't bring himself to lose face, so he could only force himself to say, "You... don't do anything reckless! This is Heaven Dou City, the territory of the Heaven Dou Imperial Family! If you dare to touch us, you will be making an enemy of the entire Heaven Dou Empire!"

"Making an enemy of the Heaven Dou Empire?"

Lu Jing spoke as if he had heard the greatest joke in the World. "Just based on you? I don't think you two pieces of trash can represent the Heaven Dou Empire."

He took a step forward, and an invisible pressure spread out, weighing down so heavily that Prince Xue Xing and Xue Beng could hardly breathe. "Who was it just now that said as long as I have a background, they would kneel down and kowtow to beg for mercy? What, do you want to go back on your word now?"

Xue Beng was so scared his legs went soft, and he almost collapsed to the ground. He didn't dare mention going back on his word; his mind held only one thought—escape!

"We... we are people of the Heaven Dou Imperial Family! If you dare to insult us, my Imperial Father will never let you off!" Xue Beng roared with false bravado, trying to use the imperial family's name to scare off the opponent.

The smile on Lu Jing's face disappeared completely, his eyes turning as cold as ice. "The name of the imperial family? Before the Elder Hall, it is not worth mentioning."

Before his voice had even faded, his gaze suddenly sharpened.

Prince Xue Xing and Xue Beng only felt an irresistible force instantly envelop them. Their throats felt as if they were being throttled by invisible giant hands, and they couldn't even let out a scream.

They looked at Lu Jing in terror, their eyes filled with pleading, but they only saw the undisguised killing intent in the depths of his eyes.

"Crack! Crack!"

Two soft sounds rang out. The necks of the two men were twisted at bizarre angles, their eyes bulging wide; they had clearly died with their grievances unredressed.

It wasn't until the corpses crashed to the ground that the surrounding people reacted—he really did it! In front of the Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, he had killed a Prince and an Imperial Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire!

Ning Fengzhi's pupils shrank, and he sucked in a breath of cold air.

Although he despised the character of Prince Xue Xing and Xue Beng, he hadn't expected Lu Jing to be so decisive and straightforward, showing no regard for the face of the Heaven Dou Imperial Family.

"Insult? Are you even worthy? Just die!"

Lu Jing didn't even look at the corpses on the ground. He bent down to take back the consecration token from Prince Xue Xing's stiff hand, casually wiped off the fingerprints, and said faintly to the dumbfounded Ning Fengzhi, "School Master Ning, please pass a message to Emperor Xue Ye for me."

He paused, his voice calm but carrying an unquestionable authority. "You are also clear about the situation here. If he is dissatisfied, he is welcome to bring the people of the Heaven Dou Empire to the Spirit Hall's Elder Hall to demand an explanation from the High Priest."

Ning Fengzhi opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end, he only gave a bitter smile and nodded.

What would he dare to say? Someone from the Elder Hall had killed members of the imperial family; this was no longer something he could interfere with.

If Emperor Xue Ye were wise, he would at most swallow this grievance and would never dare to actually seek trouble with the Elder Hall—that would be no different from striking a stone with an egg.

Lu Jing said no more and turned to Wang Donger and Xiao Wu. "Let's go."

Wang Donger had long since grown accustomed to his style of doing things. She just nodded gently and didn't forget to pull along the stunned Xiao Wu.

Xiao Wu was quite shaken by the scene just now. It wasn't until she was pulled away by Wang Donger that she snapped out of her daze and asked in a low voice, "Lu Jing... are we just leaving like this? They were a prince and an imperial prince..."

Lu Jing ruffled her hair and said in a relaxed tone, "Don't worry, no one will dare to stop us."

The three figures soon disappeared into the crowd of the night market, leaving behind a ground full of corpses, panicked onlookers, and the Ning father and daughter with complicated expressions.

Ning Rongrong pulled her father's sleeve and said softly, "Dad, they are so amazing... they even dared to kill a prince..."

Ning Fengzhi sighed, looking in the direction where Lu Jing had disappeared, his gaze solemn. "Rongrong, remember, in this World, there are some existences that even the imperial family cannot afford to provoke. Treat what happened today as if you didn't see it, and you're not allowed to tell outsiders after we return."

He looked down at the corpses of Prince Xue Xing and Xue Beng and shook his head—Heaven Dou City was likely about to face a great change.

Meanwhile, Lu Jing was leading Wang Donger and Xiao Wu through the lively alleys, as if killing two members of the imperial family just now was merely a trivial matter.

"Where to next?" Wang Donger asked, her tone carrying a hint of curiosity.

Lu Jing smiled. "Since we've come to Heaven Dou City, we should go see that Crown Prince, shouldn't we?"

The Crown Prince he spoke of was naturally Qian Renxue, who was disguised as Xue Qinghe.

Killing Xue Beng and Prince Xue Xing could be considered a meeting gift for her—with those two eyesores gone, her position as Crown Prince would only become more stable.

As for whether Emperor Xue Ye would take his anger out on them because of this... Lu Jing didn't care at all.

With the name of the Elder Hall backing him, he doubted the Emperor would dare to do anything.